General [Almost Daily] Every Set in Magic, Cube Edition
- Thread starter MilesOfficial
- Start date
Odyssee block has a huge influence on my cube, I'd guess it's among the three most influential blocks with Innistrad and Shadowmoor?
Anyway, from Judgment specifically, I have these core cards still rocking:
Love them to pieces for madness, selfmill and such, they are just so neat because they essentially are enchantments with madness
that can be cast as a blocker if needed.
I try to limit flying tokens in my cube to optimize Nightmare, my ultimate pet card that I want to be as not-bad as possible. But Battle Screech is so cool, helps white prowess and has sick art, so it gets a pass.
SUCH an underrated card. It's very close to a four mana Shivan Dragon in many cubes and you'd think that would still be good enough for even somewhat high powered cubes. I guess it has no etb, no backside, isn't a lesson and asks something of you, so it doesn't hold up next to Pyrogoyf.
But seriously, it's a perfect magic card. Evocative design that tells a story, respectfully references a super iconic card, simple to read but offers you a variety of possible venues to fulfil it's requirements. More people should cube this little guy.
I also have these two in my occasionals:
While very different, both of these are just cool and can be a surprise to the opponent.
I also adore this card:
But for some reason it always gets edged out for minor reasons (no reminder text for threshold, doesn't work with Genesis Wave, too many 5-drops in green) but it's a perfect CCC core card in theory and I should add it again.
Special shoutout to:
I used to cube him in my cube's first iterations and I got a lot of shit for it on mtg salvation. They thought I was crazy for cubing a white one-drop attacker with only one power, but I still love me some 1-drop fliers until today and I like them better than Savannah Lions too.
Anyway, from Judgment specifically, I have these core cards still rocking:
Love them to pieces for madness, selfmill and such, they are just so neat because they essentially are enchantments with madness
that can be cast as a blocker if needed.I try to limit flying tokens in my cube to optimize Nightmare, my ultimate pet card that I want to be as not-bad as possible. But Battle Screech is so cool, helps white prowess and has sick art, so it gets a pass.
SUCH an underrated card. It's very close to a four mana Shivan Dragon in many cubes and you'd think that would still be good enough for even somewhat high powered cubes. I guess it has no etb, no backside, isn't a lesson and asks something of you, so it doesn't hold up next to Pyrogoyf.
But seriously, it's a perfect magic card. Evocative design that tells a story, respectfully references a super iconic card, simple to read but offers you a variety of possible venues to fulfil it's requirements. More people should cube this little guy.
I also have these two in my occasionals:
While very different, both of these are just cool and can be a surprise to the opponent.
I also adore this card:
But for some reason it always gets edged out for minor reasons (no reminder text for threshold, doesn't work with Genesis Wave, too many 5-drops in green) but it's a perfect CCC core card in theory and I should add it again.
Special shoutout to:
I used to cube him in my cube's first iterations and I got a lot of shit for it on mtg salvation. They thought I was crazy for cubing a white one-drop attacker with only one power, but I still love me some 1-drop fliers until today and I like them better than Savannah Lions too.
Day: 031
Set: March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Release Date: April 21st, 2023
Cards: 57 New
Design & Development: Ethan Fleischer (Lead)
All New Cards on Cube Cobra: Link
Commander sets are really interesting for Cube. With an eye towards both eternal, they were, for a long time, some of the most interesting cards for Cube curators, particularly those with a powermax leaning. However, I think this is around the time that mentality had shifted, and many players were now sour towards the Commander-centric design that had drowned out most other design space at higher rarities. These cards were too juiced, had too many words, had too much irrelevant text for 1v1 (or worse, had commander-only text), and made engines that would never have been allowed in "proper" Magic.
Still, I love the individual designs of this set in particular. It's one of the best-represented Commander products in my Cube, and I'm playing more than 5% of the cards first printed here. I remember feeling sad that so many people were starting to overlook these kinds of cards and it was hard to get a conversation going with fellow Cube enthusiasts because of how the "game was dying", much like how it feels to get excited about UB cards now, and love some of the designs so much that if people were better champions of them, I'd be the most easily coaxed into re-including the ones I've taken out.
One neat thing about this set, like the Doctor Who expansion that would come out the following year, was the inclusion of the Planes for a Planechase variant of Commander. There's already enough nonsense happening in your typical Commander game that I found this to be a bit overwhelming, but I have incredibly fond memories of the original Planechase really shaking up my 60-card casual games at its original release and so I'm happy there's more of it.
Currently, I'm running the following cards from this set:
Backup is an excellent mechanic in theory and not a terrible one in practice, either. It resolves the memory issues of similarly complex mechanics and works well with other +1/+1 counter synergies. It encourages attacking on most of its best cards, certainly on the ones here. Guardian Scalelord is what finally replaced Reveillark for me, IIRC, and I like getting the first hit basically for free if you have anything else of meaningful power. I like that it's repeatable the dragon too, making it feel worthwhile at 5 mana without being belligerently oppressive. I think Cube curators have soured on this card, as it's one of the lowest ELO cards in my list, but I'm still a huge fan.
I've talked about Chivalric Alliance recently but I'm still very happy with it. I like all parts of it: the attacking encouragement, the card advantage in white in a way that feels white, the discard outlet, the token generation, the art -- it's so many things for so many decks I support that I'm willing to give this little card the grace of allowing it a unique token.
Death-Greeter's Champion is on the higher end of power in my Cube, but I figured if I was willing to keep one between this, Gut, True Soul Zealot, Laelia, the Blade Reforged, and Broadside Bombardiers (the big 4 of red 3s in the modern day), this is the weakest and also the best combination of interesting and non-oppressive. It harkens back to cards that were key to my Cube in the 2010s like Mardu Strike Leader and has good vibes overall. I like Gut's gameplay a little more, but he's also meaningfully stronger. Getting a free double-strike on a dude you just made +1/+1 bigger is no joke, even if it's only for a single turn, and this is still one of the top picks in my list.
Within this calendar year I've also run these, and they all have a reasonable chance of coming back in at some point:
I was always surprised no one really drafted Wildfire Awakener. It's such an intensely Melvin-centric card though, so maybe it just wasn't appreciated appropriately, but it's stupid powerful.
Katilda and Lier is probably one of the better Bant cards for a Cube like mine, but there's just not enough instants and sorceries you want to play during your turn in these colors, or at least that seemed like the issue to me.
I'd really want more Saprolings running around before I put Slimefoot and Squee back in, even though I do like them.
Cards I really really like and want to test:
Filigree Vector is sick as hell.
Nesting Dovehawk feels so close to being right for my Cube, but I don't think I could really justify it when I already have another 4-mana card in white that's this fragile. I like populating starting its first turn in play, and doing it again every turn. It's a great card, but it also reminds me of Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, which I cut for being either too anemic (4 mana for a 2/2 that gains you life for a turn or two) or for being too overwhelming (2/2s every turn until he turns sideways to kill you) and I worry this will be the same feast or famine. I want to believe, though!!
Vulpine Harvester's focus on the "Phyrexian" creature type makes it just a little too narrow (especially considering the baggage of the creature type, which is not written on the majority of cards that are technically Phyrexian). Worse yet is how this card was immediately undermined the next set with the printing of Harnessed Snubhorn, which turns the "well, just attack with this guy" go out the window. Ratchet, Field Medic is great too, if massively over-complex. I like reanimating artifacts in white, ok???
I remember being interested in Sandsteppe War Riders when it first came out, and it only seems better now that my Cube is so much more trinket focused and has a bigger +1/+1 subtheme. I should really try it out.
Then there's:
Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle has felt just slightly under-powered for years now but has mostly maintained his spot for the better part of a decade because he's doing exactly what my Cube likes -- reanimating small things based on historic triggers. I always wished for a slightly souped up version, and I guess that's what Moira and Teshar are? I just don't like the exile effect, I wish they went back into your yard. It's a lot to ask on a 5-drop in 2 colors that doesn't do anything its first turn cycle except block well I guess. I had it in Cube for such a short time I think it only had one chance to get relegated to the sideboard.
Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir is a card alright. It's a menace at casual commander tables, especially pre-con leagues. But more important than that, it's a sick typal dude for the one creature type that I want to support: knights, centered around Sidar's best bro Haakon, Stromgald Scourge. I don't think my Cube is going this direction any time soon, but I still want to find a way to make Haakon work...
There's so many more cards in this set I didn't even get to, which is again crazy considering it's just a small commander add-on.
EDIT:
Huh, I forgot this card existed:
Pain Distributor goes nicely with Biotech Specialist and Generous Plunderer (and makes Sardian Avenger look even better). Maybe this is a direction I can look in the future?
Set: March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Release Date: April 21st, 2023
Cards: 57 New
Design & Development: Ethan Fleischer (Lead)
All New Cards on Cube Cobra: Link
Commander sets are really interesting for Cube. With an eye towards both eternal, they were, for a long time, some of the most interesting cards for Cube curators, particularly those with a powermax leaning. However, I think this is around the time that mentality had shifted, and many players were now sour towards the Commander-centric design that had drowned out most other design space at higher rarities. These cards were too juiced, had too many words, had too much irrelevant text for 1v1 (or worse, had commander-only text), and made engines that would never have been allowed in "proper" Magic.
Still, I love the individual designs of this set in particular. It's one of the best-represented Commander products in my Cube, and I'm playing more than 5% of the cards first printed here. I remember feeling sad that so many people were starting to overlook these kinds of cards and it was hard to get a conversation going with fellow Cube enthusiasts because of how the "game was dying", much like how it feels to get excited about UB cards now, and love some of the designs so much that if people were better champions of them, I'd be the most easily coaxed into re-including the ones I've taken out.
One neat thing about this set, like the Doctor Who expansion that would come out the following year, was the inclusion of the Planes for a Planechase variant of Commander. There's already enough nonsense happening in your typical Commander game that I found this to be a bit overwhelming, but I have incredibly fond memories of the original Planechase really shaking up my 60-card casual games at its original release and so I'm happy there's more of it.
Currently, I'm running the following cards from this set:
Backup is an excellent mechanic in theory and not a terrible one in practice, either. It resolves the memory issues of similarly complex mechanics and works well with other +1/+1 counter synergies. It encourages attacking on most of its best cards, certainly on the ones here. Guardian Scalelord is what finally replaced Reveillark for me, IIRC, and I like getting the first hit basically for free if you have anything else of meaningful power. I like that it's repeatable the dragon too, making it feel worthwhile at 5 mana without being belligerently oppressive. I think Cube curators have soured on this card, as it's one of the lowest ELO cards in my list, but I'm still a huge fan.
I've talked about Chivalric Alliance recently but I'm still very happy with it. I like all parts of it: the attacking encouragement, the card advantage in white in a way that feels white, the discard outlet, the token generation, the art -- it's so many things for so many decks I support that I'm willing to give this little card the grace of allowing it a unique token.
Death-Greeter's Champion is on the higher end of power in my Cube, but I figured if I was willing to keep one between this, Gut, True Soul Zealot, Laelia, the Blade Reforged, and Broadside Bombardiers (the big 4 of red 3s in the modern day), this is the weakest and also the best combination of interesting and non-oppressive. It harkens back to cards that were key to my Cube in the 2010s like Mardu Strike Leader and has good vibes overall. I like Gut's gameplay a little more, but he's also meaningfully stronger. Getting a free double-strike on a dude you just made +1/+1 bigger is no joke, even if it's only for a single turn, and this is still one of the top picks in my list.
Within this calendar year I've also run these, and they all have a reasonable chance of coming back in at some point:
I was always surprised no one really drafted Wildfire Awakener. It's such an intensely Melvin-centric card though, so maybe it just wasn't appreciated appropriately, but it's stupid powerful.
Katilda and Lier is probably one of the better Bant cards for a Cube like mine, but there's just not enough instants and sorceries you want to play during your turn in these colors, or at least that seemed like the issue to me.
I'd really want more Saprolings running around before I put Slimefoot and Squee back in, even though I do like them.
Cards I really really like and want to test:
Filigree Vector is sick as hell.
Nesting Dovehawk feels so close to being right for my Cube, but I don't think I could really justify it when I already have another 4-mana card in white that's this fragile. I like populating starting its first turn in play, and doing it again every turn. It's a great card, but it also reminds me of Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, which I cut for being either too anemic (4 mana for a 2/2 that gains you life for a turn or two) or for being too overwhelming (2/2s every turn until he turns sideways to kill you) and I worry this will be the same feast or famine. I want to believe, though!!
Vulpine Harvester's focus on the "Phyrexian" creature type makes it just a little too narrow (especially considering the baggage of the creature type, which is not written on the majority of cards that are technically Phyrexian). Worse yet is how this card was immediately undermined the next set with the printing of Harnessed Snubhorn, which turns the "well, just attack with this guy" go out the window. Ratchet, Field Medic is great too, if massively over-complex. I like reanimating artifacts in white, ok???
I remember being interested in Sandsteppe War Riders when it first came out, and it only seems better now that my Cube is so much more trinket focused and has a bigger +1/+1 subtheme. I should really try it out.
Then there's:
Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle has felt just slightly under-powered for years now but has mostly maintained his spot for the better part of a decade because he's doing exactly what my Cube likes -- reanimating small things based on historic triggers. I always wished for a slightly souped up version, and I guess that's what Moira and Teshar are? I just don't like the exile effect, I wish they went back into your yard. It's a lot to ask on a 5-drop in 2 colors that doesn't do anything its first turn cycle except block well I guess. I had it in Cube for such a short time I think it only had one chance to get relegated to the sideboard.
Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir is a card alright. It's a menace at casual commander tables, especially pre-con leagues. But more important than that, it's a sick typal dude for the one creature type that I want to support: knights, centered around Sidar's best bro Haakon, Stromgald Scourge. I don't think my Cube is going this direction any time soon, but I still want to find a way to make Haakon work...
There's so many more cards in this set I didn't even get to, which is again crazy considering it's just a small commander add-on.
EDIT:
Huh, I forgot this card existed:
Pain Distributor goes nicely with Biotech Specialist and Generous Plunderer (and makes Sardian Avenger look even better). Maybe this is a direction I can look in the future?
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Often I ignore commander releases. Too wordy, too powerful, too niche. But this one had a real gem for me:
What a hit. A splashable hybrid that actually fits the art style and vibe of Shadowmoor, a nice blink enabler that isn't parasitic at all because it is at least a decent 3-drop attacker that takes out a blocker. It's flexibel, cool, powerful but inherently fair as it is a 3/2 that has to attack to do something. It’s pretty much perfect for my CCC. I can't imagine ever cutting this.
What a hit. A splashable hybrid that actually fits the art style and vibe of Shadowmoor, a nice blink enabler that isn't parasitic at all because it is at least a decent 3-drop attacker that takes out a blocker. It's flexibel, cool, powerful but inherently fair as it is a 3/2 that has to attack to do something. It’s pretty much perfect for my CCC. I can't imagine ever cutting this.
Huh, I forgot this card existed:
Pain Distributor goes nicely with Biotech Specialist and Generous Plunderer (and makes Sardian Avenger look even better). Maybe this is a direction I can look in the future?
There's also Bloodroot Apothecary if you want to make it a Gruul thing, but the poison might be a dealbreaker.
Onderzeeboot
Ecstatic Orb
I just looked, and I run nothing from this set I do enjoy the thought of Bitterthorn, but not to the tune of €20.
I totally missed Chivalric Alliance, that is actually a really sweet card, though I have no clue why it doesn't just create the common 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance. Why did it have to be a white and blue token?
I do enjoy the thought of Bitterthorn, but not to the tune of €20.I totally missed Chivalric Alliance, that is actually a really sweet card, though I have no clue why it doesn't just create the common 2/2 white Knight creature token with vigilance. Why did it have to be a white and blue token?
It's the same token as on Invasion of New Phyrexia / Invasion of Beleron / Knight of the Coalition / my favorite of this list of cards by a mile, Xerex Strobe-Knight.
...this is not an answer, though.
...this is not an answer, though.